MOPS is hiring!

Position Title: Mobile Overdose Prevention Site Driver (Full Time)

Term Date: November 2022 to October 2023

Hours of Work: 32-35 hours per week The Mobile Overdose Prevention Site (MOPS) Driver, under the general direction of the MOPS, and in accordance with the philosophy and objectives of Sunshine House, is responsible for completing tasks related to respectful operations of the MOPS Unit by engaging with community members, staff, supervisors, and volunteers in open-minded and calm manner.

The Sunshine House is a place where people can grow, and we operate from the principles of harm- reduction, inclusion, respect, and safety. This position requires in-person close contacts with community members. Required Qualifications:

• Create and maintain strong healthy boundaries.

• Knowledge of drug use, specifically injection drug use.

• Ability to work prioritize tasks and communicate effectively with community members, staff, and volunteers.

• Possession of Class 4 license (preferred) or a Class 5 License (required)

• Excellent computer skills

• Knowledge of current social issues related to homelessness, mental illness, substance use, and harm reduction.
  

Sunshine House seeks employees with a commitment to the Sunshine House Vision, Mission, and Guiding Principles. All positions require strong communication skills, ability to work collaboratively, and ability to take initiative. Post-secondary education is not a requirement for employment, though it can help. Candidates with relevant lived experience will be given priority.

If you have any questions, require a full job description, or wish to submit a cover letter and resume with three references to: Levi A. Foy executivedirector@sunshinehousewpg.org

Application Deadline: November 15, 2022

The MOPS is open!

It's hard to believe it's finally happened, but Manitoba's first ever formal overdose prevention site is open! We say first "formal," because people who use drugs have been preventing overdoses wherever drugs are consumed for as long as drugs have been consumed. What makes MOPS unique is that Health Canada has granted us an exemption to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. That means law enforcement cannot arrest people for using drugs on the premises of the site. The site itself consists of a recreational vehicle, which provides a safe, dry and warm place for people to inject drugs. Outside the vehicle there is a tent where people can smoke illicit drugs. This is important because inhalation is a method of consumption that has less serious harms associated with it, so making inhalation an option is part of harm reduction overall.

When people come to the MOPS, they can chat with the staff, get some harm reduction supplies (like needles, condoms, bubbles, tourniquets), a cup of coffee and also information about services that are available to them. We also have test strips that can detect the presence of deadly fentanyl and benzodiazepene. We are still fundraising for a mass-spectrometer that will allow people to test their drugs and find out exactly what they contain. You can support this by giving to our Fundrazr campaign!

The MOPS RV and tent set up in the parking lot of 613 Main Street. Photo by: Val Ballantyne-Lewis

The MOPS will be set up in the parking lot of 613 Main St Tuesday - Sunday, 11:45am - 5:15pm. From 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM, the MOPS RV will be curbside parked in various locations around the downtown core. To find the exact location on the day of, please call the MOPS cell: 204-914-8221.

The MOPS is an Overdose Prevention Site. We hope it will be a precursor to a full-service Supervised Consumption Site, which will have health care professionals on staff. For now, we have knowledgable peers on staff who are trained in overdose response — specifically, the administration of Narcan/naloxone, the drug that rapidly reverses opioid overdose. To learn more about Supervised Consumption Services and how they're an important part of responding to our communities' needs, visit SaferSites.ca.

IN THE NEWS

“Manitoba in line to set record on overdose deaths” Winnipeg Free Press, Friday, October 28, 2022

“Manitoba’s first formal overdose prevention site launches in Winnipeg” Global News, Sunday, October 30, 2022

“New mobile overdose prevention site up and running in Winnipeg will save lives, harm reduction advocates say” CBC Manitoba, Monday, October 31, 2022

DOWNLOAD

Download a copy of the MOPS brochure

MOPS Brochure Colour Web

.pdf

Download PDF • 491KB

Return of the Haunted House!

Sunshine House gets HAUNTED again this year!

6:00pm - 8:00pm at 646 Logan Ave. Admission cost: by donation Note that Sunshine House is not wheelchair accessible. We are bad at judging our own scariness but last time we did this, it was too scary for young children! So please beware if bringing kids.